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East Haven, CT

A town of about 27,806 people in New Haven County, part of the New Haven area. Resident comments and photos are about East Haven; job numbers cover the wider area.

The New Haven area:College town · College teaching jobs 2.3x the U.S. share
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around East Haven

EH snow
EH Cannon
Quinnipiac River from Fair Haven
Quinnipiac River from Fair Haven · Photo: Iracaz, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Where it is
East Haven
East Haven in Connecticut
Connecticut in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of East Haven's center.

22
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
50
coffee shops
147
parks
136
playgrounds
15
libraries
2
movie theaters
14
live theaters
12
museums
23
bookstores
8
gyms
47
bars
18
pharmacies
7
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of East Haven.

Bike lanes and bike paths
30 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
147 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 2,692 rented homes in East Haven, 80% rent for under $2,000 a month and 97% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 18%
$1,000 to $1,499: 36%
$1,500 to $1,999: 26%
$2,000 to $2,499: 13%
$2,500 to $2,999: 4%
$3,000 or more: 3%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in East Haven rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Connecticut

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Connecticut DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Connecticut voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Connecticut keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$350/week
about $18,200 a year
$250/week
about $13,000 a year
Toddler (2)$350/week
about $18,200 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$285/week
about $14,800 a year
$245/week
about $12,700 a year
School-age$130/week
about $6,800 a year

For an infant at a center: $350/week here, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 22% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Connecticut →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

5 colleges in the county and the wider metro around East Haven. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Yale University · New Haven (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 15,081 students · $64,700 a year
University of New Haven · West Haven (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 9,830 students · $45,730 a year
Quinnipiac University · Hamden (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 8,918 students · $53,090 a year
Southern Connecticut State University · New Haven (metro)
Public, 4-year · 8,820 students · $12,828 in-state, $26,104 out-of-state
Albertus Magnus College · New Haven (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,161 students · $39,924 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$409,372
What a typical home sells for across the New Haven area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
24 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,905 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in CT. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Hospitals nearby
7 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
null per 100,000 people a year
267 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. CT average: 21.8 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
State income tax
Graduated, up to 6.99%
CT's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

More towns in Connecticut →